Puzzle-lock



y R: HElMERs 2,040,740 0 PUZZLE LOCK Filed July 24, 1954 Inventor Rudolf Heime/zs,

Patented May 12, 193B v r 2,040,740

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PUZZLE-LOCK Rudolf Heimers, Mexico, D. F., Mexico Application July 24, 1934, Serial No. 736,761 In Mexico July 25, 1933 3 Claims. (Cl. 273153) The invention refers to a puzzle-lock adapted slots 3 is preferably inserted into another slot [0, to be used for covers, envelopes, boxes, bottles, preventing it from being torn off. Another longer containers and objects of all kinds, and has for slot It passes through both sides of the envelope, its object to provide a lock which at first sight above the slot 8, and a round opening 12 is also seems very easy to open but which is so arranged provided in both faces of the envelope. Within as to require time, patience and ingenuity to arthe envelope is placed a paper or cardboard insert rive at the solution of its intricacies, permitting it 3 having a wide slot [4 corresponding with the to be opened without breaking any of its parts. slots l I, a rounded recess l 5 corresponding with The puzzle-look may for instance be used with the notch 1 in the slots 8, and outwardly curved covers, envelopes or wrappers containing adverlower edges starting from said recess I5. The 10 tising matter, which in this case' will not be length and width of the insert I3 are such that it thrown away without opening, due to the natural fills out complete y e inner Space f t e endesire of humans to solve a riddle presented to velope, as shown in Figure 4, with the recess l5 them. The same look, with slight variations, may straddling the opening I and the lower part of 5 also be used with all kinds of boxes, bottles and the insert, at the sides of said recess, covering containers so as to prevent them from being from the inside the slots 8, leaving exposed only opened by unauthorized people, although their the opening 1 through which passes the string 6.

contents will be readily accessible to those know- The puzzle consists in sepa t e String 6 ing how to open the look. from the slots 3 so that the flap 2 may be raised In the accompanying drawing: and the contents of the envelope taken out, but 20 Figure 1 shows the lock applied to a cover or without tearing any of its parts. The solution enve10pe seems to be to pass the seals 9 through the super- Figure'2 shows the folds of the envelope exposed slots 8, but this cannot be done as the intended, sert covers these slots on both sides and. as also Figure 3 isaview of the cardboard insert form,- the diameter of the seals may be greater than 25 ing the lock, the length of said slots. The slots II are also Figure 4 shows the insert placed in the encovered from the inside by the same insert, as are velope, with the covering fold cut away. s also the round open n s Figure 5 shows the insert slid upwardly pre- The solution consists in sliding or raising the liminary to opening the lock. flap 2 into the position shown in Figure 5, so 30 Figure 6 is a side view of the envelope with the t the insert? Il t Op gs may flap pulled through the slot for removing the be pus d upward into the bend formed now by seals. said flap. The lower part of the insert I3 is Figure 7 shows the same look applied to a box. thereby raised and uncovers the slots 8. The en- Figure 8 represents a bottle provided with a, velope is now doubled as shown in Figure 6, the 35 flap 2 is passed through the slots 8 and the string similar lock.

Figure 9 shows the upper part of a bottle with 6 with its seals 9 can be withdrawn from the a different kind of cover. slots 3.

Figure 10 is a view of a bottle covered by a The insert l3 may also be made Slightly horter cup and a puzzle-lock for removing said cup. than the length of the envelope, as shown by a 40 Figure 11 shows an insert to be moved in two dotted line in Figure 3, and, fitting rather tightly different directions for opening. into the envelope, can be pushed up against the In Figures 1 to 6 there has been shown an endoubled flap 2, also uncovering the slots 8. velope I, of any size and material, closed on The lock is not necessarily applied only to conthree sides and having a long flap 2 extending tainers, as it may also be incorporated for in- 45 from its narrow open side and provided with two stance in a book mark which will readily be kept longitudinal slots 3. This flap passes in and out as such or used for entertaining other people. In of the envelope through two slots 4 and 5, and this case, the envelope is preferably made narthrough its slots 3 is drawn a string or ribbon 6, rower and the upper part of the fiap 2 may be the ends of which pass through a small notch 1 glued in place. One of the openings l2 may be 50 in the center of a transversal slot 8 extending omitted and in its place the insert 13 may have through both sides of the envelope, each end of an opening concentric with the opening [2 left. the string 6 carrying a seal 9 of a diameter slight- Figure '7 shows the same puzzle-lock adapted 1y smaller than the length of the slot 8. The to a box IE having a cover ll hinged along one of 5 extremity of the flap 2 extending beyond the its long sides. The cover I! is made up of two layers of material, between which slides the insert 3 provided with an opening l8 concentric with the opening |2 in the upper layer of the cover, so as to enable the insert to be pushed up more easily. The flap 2 with its slots 3 is attached to a sliding cover I9 holding the box shut, and the slots 8 are placed close to the edge of the cover H, the side wall of the box l6 being set back of said slots. As in the envelope lock, the flap 2 is pushed through the slot 8, after the same has been uncovered by sliding the insert |3 towards the opposite end of the box, and the string 6 may then be easily removed. The sliding cover l9 is taken off and the box may be opened.

The bottle shown in Figure 8 has a cover piece preventing the cork from being pulled out, said cover being attached to a band 2| surrounding the neck of the bottle and having in each extremity a slot 22, both extremities passing through a slot in the front part of the cover 29. A wire 23 with seals 24 at its ends is drawn through the slots 22 and passes through a hole provided in a flap 2-5 extending obliquely from a wide band 23 surrounding the bottle at the part generally occupied by the label and also formed of two layers of material, between which slides the insert 21. This insert also carries a nose 28 with a recess (l5) shown in Figure 3, which straddles the hole through which is threaded the Wire 23 and closes the slot extending from said hole, passing between the two layers of the flap 25. By pushing the insert upward, by taking hold of the opening 29 appearing through the bigger opening 33 in the band 26, the slot provided in the flap is uncovered and the seals 24, may be withdrawn. The cover 20 is taken off and the bottle can be opened. A metal strip 3| passing around the bottom of the bottle and entering with its doubled ends into slots provided in the band 26 keeps the latter in place.

Figure 9 shows a different kind of cover 2!! for the top of a bottle, the end of which is provided with two longitudinal slots 32 and which is held in place by an annular band 33. The wire 23 may be drawn through these slots 32 and the lock operated as exp ained with relation to Figure 8.

As shown in Figure 11, the insert 21, displaceable in suitable guides 34, may have two openings 35 and 35 having each a step out out in one side. The doubled extremities of the strip 3| passing under the bottom of the bottle are detained on said steps when the strip 3| is pressed into the hollow bottom of the bottle, as shown in Figure 10. The seals 24 in this case are of agreater diameter than the slot 8 in the flap 25, so that they cannot be extracted through said slot even if uncovered by the insert (l3) which is fastened slidingly to the insert 27. For opening the lock, the insert |3 is first pushed upward,- carrying with it the insert 2!, whereby the portion of the strip 3| entering the hollow bottom is straightened, permitting the annular band 26 to be moved upwardly. The insert 21 is then pushed towards the right so that the ends of the strip 3| leave the steps in the openings 35 and 35 and enter the downwardly extending space in said openings, whereby said strip 3| having become longer, may be'swung to one side of the bottle. The band 26 can now be raised until the flap 3|, preferably longer than shown in Figure 9, may be passed through the slot in the flap 25, uncovered by this time, and the seals 24 with the wire 23 withdrawn from the slots 32.

Finally, Figure 10 shows a bottle, the neck of which is covered by a cup 36. To this cup is attached at one side or at opposite sides a strap 31, the lower extremity of which is expanded into a flat round seal 38. This seal is passed through a slot 8 in the band 26 encircling the bottle and is prevented from being withdrawn by the recessed lower edge of the insert l3. By pushing this insert upward, by means of its openings 29 appearing through the larger openings 30 in the band 26, the slot 8 is uncovered and the seal 38 may be passed through it.

What I claim is:

1. A puzzle-lock, comprising a member having two superposable portions, which have superposable slots therein, an insert slidably disposed between said portions, shaped to partially close said slots in one of its positions, and adapted to uncover said slots when moved to another position, and locking means passing through said slots and prevented from being withdrawn by the insert when in its closing position.

2. A puzz'e-lock, comprising a member having two portions which are superposable and which, when superposed, provide an inlet to the space between them, said portions having superposable slots therein, an insert between said portions and shaped to partially close said slots, said insert being slidable to a position in which it uncovers said insert, means whereby said insert may be I displaced from the outside, a slotted flap covering 40 disposed within said cover and shaped to partiallyclose said slots in one of its positions, and adapted to uncover said slots when moved to another position, there being openings in said cover to give access for displacing said insert from the outside, a slotted flap closing said cover, and flexible means passing through the slots of said flap and provided at their ends with seals, said flexible means passing through said superposed slots, and said seals being withdrawn through said slots after the latter have been uncovered by said sliding insert.

' RUDOLF HEIMERS. 

